In Europe, lobbyists are using soaring fuel prices to make the case for more dirty energy

The argument for transitioning to renewables seems stronger than ever – and yet, attacks mount on the carbon price scheme that underpins the EU’s success at cutting pollution Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up here On the one hand, experts say, Europe is better prepared for this energy crisis than the last. On the other, it is still waging a culture war against the most obvious path out. Fuel prices have soared to ruinous levels since the Iran war left ships of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) stranded in the Gulf. The pain is most acute in Asia, but high energy prices are already causing panic in Europe. Shortages could hit the continent this month, oil company Shell warned last week. Donald Trump’s “go get your own oil” comments on Tuesday sent prices to their highest level since the start of the US-Israel attack on Iran. They briefly dipped below $100-a-barrel on Wednesday amid hopes that the war may soon end. Despite this, efforts to hasten the shift away from an economy that runs on dirty foreign fuels, towards cheaper, cleaner domestic renewables, remain muted. Instead, soaring energy prices have provided lobbyists with more ammunition to attack the